CHANDIGARH: In a significant step toward internationalisation and international research cooperation, a high-level delegation from Panjab University, Chandigarh, today held strategic discussions with the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Houston. The two sides discussed forging long-term academic partnerships through joint research initiatives, dual-degree programmes, and student and faculty exchange opportunities.
Key outcomes of the visit included exploring the development of frameworks for co-supervised PhD research, short-term student mobility programmes, and collaboration on global research projects in advanced chemical engineering, sustainable materials, nanotechnology and green hydrogen production.
The University of Houston is one of the top public universities in Houston, United States. It is ranked #651–660 in QS World University Rankings 2025.
The Panjab University delegation comprised PU Registrar Prof. Y.P. Verma; Chairperson, Dr. S.S. Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology (Dr. SSBUICET), Prof. Anupama Sharma; and Director, Central Instrumentation Laboratory (CIL), Prof. Gaurav Verma. The University of Houston delegation was led by Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Dr. Triantafillos J. (Lakis) Mountziaris, and included several senior faculty members like Dr. Michael Nikolaou, Dr. Alamgir Karim, Dr. Vemuri Balakotaiah, Dr. Praveen Bollini, Dr. Sribala Gorugantu, Dr. Patrick C. Cirino, and Dr. Navin Varadarajan. They were joined by Prof. Paramjit Singh, Mr. Gagan Singh, and Sh. Surinder Marriah. The delegation was accompanied by Sh. Ravi Goel, President of the DCET North America Alumni Association, who played a key role in bridging the alumni network with current institutional goals.
The visit was facilitated through the efforts of Dr. Arun Verma, a distinguished 1966 alumnus of DCET, whose mentorship and logistical support were instrumental in enabling the engagement.
During the meeting, both the leading institutions of India and the US presented their faculty research profiles, areas of institutional strength, and existing programme structures. The dialogue spanned areas such as process systems engineering, bioengineering, nano-chemistry, membrane technology, and real-time data instrumentation—where synergies for collaborative research were particularly noted.
This international outreach is part of Panjab University’s renewed thrust on global engagement, alumni integration, and expanding cross-border research ecosystems. The visit also highlighted the supportive role of alumni networks in catalysing transnational academic collaboration.